Semester at Sea: Japan, India and South Africa

Hello All!

I just wanted to share a little bit about a few countries that I visited and what I did there. One of the most common questions I received after my experience abroad is, "What was your favorite place that you went to?" This is actually one of my least favorite questions that I get asked because I am unable to pick a favorite destination. All of the 11 countries that I visited are unique in so many different ways and are incomparable. I would have to say my top three places visited were Japan, India and South Africa! Below I am going to share some photos!

Japan

 Nara was one place in Japan that was on the top of my list! It is a small quiet town in the suburbs of Japan where there are domesticated deer running all over the streets and parks! Definitely worth a stop, especially if you are in the season of the burning mountain festival.

This is a buddha temple that I went to. There are many temples and shrines that you can visit in Japan that are worth seeing. It is a good way to dive into the culture a bit deeper. These beautiful structures are truly breath taking.

Another temple at sunset where we stopped to take a picture on our way to dinner. I ate some of the best sushi I have ever had in my life in Japan. Make sure to try Ramen, Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and lots of sushi!












India 

 This picture was taken at a lookout of the city of Jaipur. We took a bus all the way up a narrow winding road that overlooked the bustling city. This is a great place to watch sunset if you are visiting Jaipur!

 The Taj Mahal was on my bucket list ever since I was a little girl so I had to go. This one was a bit more tricky to reach because it is pretty far from where the boat was docked. I had to take a flight to get here and a long bus ride because it is in the middle of the country. If you are able to visit here it is even more beautiful in person. I was astonished that people were able to build such an amazing structure.

The roads in India are very narrow and small and most of them can not fit cars through. The streets are very dirty and impoverished but you are able to find true gems within the streets. People are so kind and willing to lend a helping hand. Watch out for theft though and make sure that you are dressed modestly, covering shoulders and legs. Here we took a rickshaw ride through the streets and markets.

 I visited many structures on this trip because they play a prevalent role in the Indian culture. A lot of these places I went to were tombs for families. The architecture and paintings were like nothing I have ever seen. Quite incredible to see this structure in person.

This is a photo of one of my favorite dinners! I know that it doesn't look too appetizing but Indian food was by far my favorite food on my whole entire trip. The curry was amazing and so was the dessert! You need to try all of the food in India even if it looks gross I promise it will taste amazing. Most of the food in India is also vegetarian because they see animals, especially cows as sacred.

















South Africa 

 Because I am 21 years of age I was able to go on a wine tour in South Africa. I have never been on one before at home and I thought that it would be a fun thing to do for the first time with friends. We drank wine, ate cheese and chocolate and it was a really fun time. I learned a lot about the wine making process as well as some fun facts!

 I was able to meet up with a family friend at the famous penguin beach in South Africa. There are actually penguins that live and survive on the beach here! It was incredible! I have never seen anything like it before. This was more on the touristy side and very crowded but if you want to see the penguins I do recommend doing it.

One of my favorite things about South Africa was the hikes that I was able to do. I did about three different ones that took my breath away. This hike was called Lions Head and I would recommend it if you are up for a workout and adventure. The 360 view of the city and beaches were worth the hike up!

 This picture was taken on a game drive that I was able to go on. I went to this property where there were a bunch of wild animals and went on a jeep to go see them. This was also an awesome experience but I would recommend doing an actual safari instead of a game drive because you are able to see the animals in their natural habitat.

Last but not least my favorite day! I surf here on the Island so it was a relief to be able to go out and surf in South Africa. I felt at home at the beach and on a board. A bunch of students rented boards and went out to catch some waves. If you are a surfer and are looking to surf Cape Town is definitely the place to do so!